Flash//Back Reflection – Task Review
“If your life flashed before your eyes, what’d you think you’d see?”
When it came to the concept of a self-portrait my mind immediately went to the concept of near-death experiences. I wanted to express myself as the sights, sounds, and feelings that define and shape my life. Due to this I took on the task of rapid succession scenes. Life flashing before my eyes dictated such rapid-fire imagery.
I attempted to use a soundtrack with a clicking beat to draw these otherwise (seemingly) unconnected images together, as, committing to this concept, I knew that coherence and pace would prove an uphill battle. I used a voiceover as well to increase understanding of the concept from the beginning. Both actions were well conceived.
My two major conflicts in this project were, unsurprisingly, communication and duration. I chose the ‘flash’ concept because its brevity matched our limitations but the buildup the video gathers at the end is abrupt at best. It needed the build to give the film a climax; so that there is a feeling of tension and release, but the restriction with time made it very constricting to edit. The effect given by the buildup I like. It works with the rapid-fire images and sentences at the beginning of the film to bring a sense of chaos and urgency to the films narrative. This feeling was imperative to bring the near-death concept to life, however looking back now, I needed to perhaps drop footage to give it a better flow.
Narrative was a more complex issue. I enjoyed my theme and how it played out but presenting my identity in a coherent form was difficult. For this project, I really wanted to look beyond the superficial but the deeper the personal connection I showed, the less it resonates with a stranger. Film relies on common knowledge, yet what makes us who we are is how we differ from each-other.
I think my theme allowed me lenience with confusing imagery but I would have liked to develop a greater personal connection with the viewer, were I to restart the project.
